Volume 1 Chapter 80 The Situation In The Inferno Pathway
"Um... What kind of monster is this Fire-breathing Drake?"
Fatina asked, showing that she had never heard of Drake before.
"Drake is a monster designated as A-Rank. To explain it simply, it's a small and weak dragon. You can find them around... I guess. Even our guild buys a considerable amount of materials from adventurers. Oh, by the way, I haven't actually seen one that's alive and moving."
Dill explained in a calm tone.
"I see..."
Fatina seemed satisfied with the explanation and nodded. It seemed like she could roughly imagine the strength and appearance of the Drake.
If what they were talking about was true, then having the strength equivalent to A-Rank would be a prerequisite for entering Metis's dungeon. I could understand his reaction when I told him we were C-Rank, as well as the reason why the gatekeepers soldiers went out of their way to warn us.
In the first place, dragons and drakes rarely appear near human settlements. They make their nests on high mountains or deep in the forest and hunt around there. So, unless people deliberately go to their nests, they won't encounter them.
As an exception, those dragons who have lived for thousands of years seem to make their homes in old ruins where people no longer live. Although it's not exactly the same, you can say that the dragon in the lowest layer of the Emerald Green Dungeon is similar to that.
Metis Dungeon is different from the others, as Dill answered, probably because of these circumstances. Adventurers who can survive a dungeon where A-Rank monsters greet you at the entrance are not common.
"By the way, where did Ark-san and the others come from? It doesn't seem to be near Metis."
"Oh, we came from Trasverum. We just arrived here recently."
As I responded, Dill exclaimed, "Wow!" and looked extremely surprised.
"Wow, it must have been a long journey. The inn in this town helps adventurers by offering discounts through the guild. It's affordable, so it would really help if you could take on some requests...oh, but it's better not to go to the dungeon."
"Has the Metis Dungeon always been like this?"
"No, it hasn't. This region has always had many fire-type monsters, and the Fire Drake is one of them. But recently, it has been appearing near the dungeon more frequently. It's fierce and dangerous, spewing fire if you accidentally enter its territory. So it's best to avoid going there."
"But I don't mind. Can you tell me the exact location of the dungeon entrance?"
"Hmm..."
Dil furrowed his eyebrows and rested his chin on his hand as he pondered.
"As a guild staff member, I don't think it's a good idea to throw C-rank adventurers into that dungeon. Like I said before, the Drake is an A-rank monster. It's not an opponent you can easily defeat, and if you want to match it evenly, you'll need to be at least level 50."
Dill seems reluctant to give out information. It might be better to let him know that we've already cleared two dungeons. Otherwise, it might be quicker to just ask someone else.
"--Actually, it's the other way around. After hearing the story, I wanted to avoid getting close as much as possible. So, could you tell us the exact location?"
Just as he were pondering that, Mel chimed in. Then Dil, as if he suddenly understood, clapped his hands and said, "Ah!"
"It's true that you can't avoid it if you don't know the location. Alright, then I'll explain."
Dil smiled again at Mel's words. Then he took out a rolled-up paper from under the counter and unfolded it. It was a map of the area around Metis. To the northeast on the map, there were the large forest and the fissure in the earth that we had passed through, and to the north, there were a range of mountains.
"The Zebalt Volcano, located a little north of this town, is like a symbol of faith in this region. There's a dungeon inside this volcano. The entrance is about a two-hour walk from here along the mountain path."
Dill pointed to a picture of a mountain labeled Zebalt on the map, located to the north. According to his explanation, the dungeon doesn't seem too far away.
Aquaflow Cavern, which we conquered before, was quite far from Trasverum, so it was quite a hassle to move without Chester. But this time, the distance doesn't seem to be a problem at all.
Even though I expected it to be a dungeon related to fire, given its name Inferno Pathway, I didn't think it would be inside a volcano.
"Even if you find the entrance, you shouldn't go in. You'll need a magician with the [Water Attribute Magic] skill or an item."
He's right, it seems like we'll need proper preparation to freely walk around inside.
"Thank you. I'll make sure not to go near here."
"Yeah, that's for the best. But someday, you might have to help. If you leave monsters alone, they'll keep increasing. It would be terrible if the town was attacked."
He said that much, and Dil looked disappointed. If you were a guild member, you would inevitably hear this kind of information.
Considering the situation so far, it seems that the dungeon in this area is causing the monsters to become more active.
Information about the dungeon was obtained.
However, there is another problem.
I decided to confirm that as well.
"Also, I want to ask one more thing. There should be adventurers called Balzark and his companions visiting this town. If you know anything, please tell me."
As soon as I voiced that, the atmosphere in the guild changed.
The adventurers around me suddenly became restless.
"Did you hear that just now? That adventurer, he definitely said Balzark."
"Why would he ask about someone like him? What is he planning?"
"Terrifying... What a reckless person."
Voices filled with anxiety, confusion, and fear could be heard from all around.
"..."
Dill's expression suddenly changed to a blank look, and he stared at me with narrowed eyes.
Then, he let out a sigh and said,
"Well, technically speaking, it would be against the guild rules to share information about adventurers without permission... but well, they are famous in many ways and it's their own fault, so I guess it doesn't really matter."
Dill spoke as if he was trying to convince himself, and then he stopped talking for a moment.
After that, he continued.
"Certainly, in this town, there is a party of S-rank adventurers called Balzark. They have visited the guild a few times, so I've talked to them too. I don't know the exact circumstances, but it seems like they are trying to conquer the dungeon in this area."
"As expected..."
Mel murmured quietly while looking down, and Fatina, who saw her expression, looked puzzled.
Unlike me and Mel, Fatina has no connection with Balzark and the others. I also wonder if it's really okay to involve her in this fight.
"So, I won't hide the fact that the Balzarks are a bunch of troublemakers. Even though they're in the same S0Rank, they're completely different from Allen, who is popular and trustworthy."
"...I see."
It seems that the news of Allen getting caught hasn't reached the Metis Adventurer Guild yet. Maybe it's because Edward's carriage arrived faster than anyone else.
"Anyway, I didn't expect you to be so openly asking about Balzark, who everyone fears. I wonder if there was some kind of trouble between Ark-san and them?"
"Well, something like that."
It looks like the Balzarks are currently in the middle of conquering the Inferno Pathway. As I heard from Mel beforehand, they must be searching for the 'Inferno Key' on a request from King Cretia.
Judging from the movements of the monsters right now, the Balzarks haven't found the key yet. So, if we can find and destroy the key before them, we can achieve our goal.
When I looked at Mel, she simply nodded without saying anything. Maybe she was thinking the same thing as me.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, I understand a lot."
"It's my job to support adventurers, so don't worry."
Dill smiled at us.
"If you need anything, feel free to come to me for advice anytime. Oh, and how about staying at the inn today to rest and recover from the long journey? Rest well when you can. That's the key to living a long life as an adventurer."
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